Roller-skate



(Model.) J. H. FENTON.

ROLLER SKATE. No. 352,743. Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

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y UNITEIO STATES PATENT ,OEEIOH JOHN H. EENTON, OF oHIoAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROLLER-SKATE.,

SPECIFICATION forming part or' Letters Patent No. 352.743, dated November 16, 1886.

Application filed June 8, 1885. Serial No. 168,096. y(Model.)

tical longitudinal section of the frame; Fig.

4, a detail', being a vertical longitudinal section of the support carrying the axle and wheels. v

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of roller-skates in reference toy turning thereon with great ease and facility, and to improve the connection of the Wheels with the bed or frame.

The object of my invention I accomplishpin the manner and 4by the means hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, A represents the plate 'or' bed portion of the frame, formed to receive the sole of a boot or shoe, and having at its rear end a ange or lopenwvork to form a guard for the heel ofthe boot or shoe, inthe form shown. This plate,at the toe and heel end, has an Opening, A, to permit access to be easily had to the screw by which the wheel-frame is attached to the main bed or frame.

B is a flange for strengthening purposes, depending from the under face ofthe plate A at the center, and running from hole to hole A in the construction shown; O,a forward depending bracket Or arm from the flange B,

and C a similar bracket or arm from the. rear end of the flange B, and each bracket or arm, at its extreme lower end, in the form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, has a nib or point, a, located centrally of the arm or bracket, and in a line with a vertical plane passing through the center of the liange B and plate A longitudinally; D, a bar running from the forward face of the arm or bracket C in an upwardly-inclined direction to the under face of the plate A and toward the toe end of the plate, and Da similar bar running from the rear face of the arm or bracket G in an upwardly-inclined direction to the under face of the plate A at the heel end. The arm Gand bar D converge toward their lower extremities, where they join each other, above which point ofj unction they are disconnected,` leaving a free open space between them for the rubber spring and head of the screw, hereinafter describedl The arm C and 'bar D are constructed in the saine manner, and each arm, in connection with the bar to which it is joined, forms a substantially V-shaped pendent extension of the foot-plate A.

The angle of inclination of these bars is one that gives a nearly-horizontall bearing for the foot when themain bed or plate is turned down at the heel and raised at the toe, or thrown up at the heel and turned down at the toe, in use, by which the bearing for the foot is brought nearly in a vertical plane over the axle of the wheels, enabling the user to handle the skate in turning or making circles with great ease and facility, as the wheels are brought into position in relation with the toe or heel to furnish apivot on which the foot of the wearer can spin around without describing a largecircle, as is the case where there is butlittle,ii`any, inclination between thewheelframe and its bearing or support on the .main bed or frame.` Y

E is a depending flange at the upper end of the bar D, having its interior surface circular to form a bearing, b, for the upper vend ofthe frame carrying the wheels; and E',a similar ange at the upper end of the bar D.

F is the rocking bar of the wheel-frame, one for the front and rear of the skate, to coact with the bars D and D', each bar having a cross-socket, F, with a suitable opening for the axle. Each frame at'its upper end has a round end, c, which, when the parts are together, rests on the bearing-face b, and its lower end is provided with a circular depression, d, to rest on the rounded surface e at the lower end ofthe pendants() C', and these parts b, c, d, and eform thefbearings for permitting of the necessary rocking movement of the frames which carry the wheels. As shown,

the concave c is on the frame-bar F, and the4 convex surface e is on the end of thependant; but it is evident that the position of these vparts could bel reversed and the concave surwhen the parts are together the end of the bar F abuts against the inner face of the stop a', and prevents downward sliding on movement of the bar; and instead of having this stop a as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, such stop can be located as shown in Fig. `4, in which case the adjoining face of the bar F has a recess for the stop to enter.

G represents the axles supported in the sock- 1o ets F', and having at each end a wheel, G', an

axle and wheels being provided for the forward and back end of theskate; H, anopen-` ing or bearing in the respective bars D D',

and H an opening leading from the bearing :5 H through the respective bars D D', for the l passage of the screw by which the wheel-frame is att-ached to the main frame; I, a rubber V.. spring, one' for each bearing H, and each spring l Yencircled by a cap, I.

zo- V-J isa'screw, one for each wheel-frame, the

stem of each screw passing through therubf l ber spring or bumper-I, cap I', and hole H', and enteringascrew-threaded opening, J', in l the baror frame F, for connectingr the frame 2 5" with the wheel-frame of the main frame."l The cap I has a depending ange open at one side,

and is slotted lengthwise with the skate bottom or frame, so that when forced down to i place the screw will 4be held against backward 3o turning in the operation of skating by the t pressure of the rubber spring, which acts to draw a dat face on the screw against an enurgaging flat face on washer.

l The wheels are-keyed or otherwise suitably A securedlonto the axle, so as to revolve thereon, i the axle being supported in the socket or bear- -gingF, and, as shown, an oil-cup, f, is pro- Avided for lubricating the axle where it passes l through the socket F'.' The axle-frame is se- '4o cured inplace by slipping thev upper end, c, into the socket E, and bringingits lower end, d, to rest on the bearing-surface e at the end of the pendants, with the stopaengaged to prevent downward-slipping, and the bumper or spring I is placed in its bearing or support w H, the cap" I placed thereon, and the screw J passeddown through the capbumper and into the bar F, holding the barF in position to give therequired amount of rock for use, and 5o at the same time sufhciently firm so asA not to y rbe readily displaced,- and when the wheels are i in position it will be seen that theangle at l which .theirv frames are connected with the t: main frame isl oner which enables the foot to 5 5 be turneddown ateither the toe or heel into r Ua positionrapproximately .approaching that l. which the footassumes whena person is spinning on his heel or toe, thus enabling the l. skaterto balance himself on his heel or toe in 6o the same manner as when a person spins nat- -urally on the heel or toe, bringing the center 'of balance more Anearly in a vertical line, as

j ,is the natural position for spinning; and it will thus be seen that a spinninglposition can be assumed by the skater, bywhich the turn` ing in describing circles or otherwise, or in reversing for any purpose, can be quickly done.

The plate or bottom A, rib or iiange B, and supports G, D, E, C', D', and E can be castor formed in asingle piece from steel or other suitable material, and, as shown, a flange is extended forward from the front socket, E, to strengthen the toe end of the plate A. The inclination shown is that to be used for ordinary skating; but where it is desired to do' exceedingly fancy skating, and a quick spin in turning, the inclination can be still more abrupt.

What I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A foot-plate, A, having a central depending iiange, B, and constructed at each end with an arm and a bar which converge toward their lower extremities where they join, the upper extremities of the arms joining, respectively, the front and rear ends ofthe ange, and said arms and bars respectively disconnected above their joined extremities to provide between them an unobstructed space, substantially as described.

2. A foot-plate, A, having at each end an arm and a bar which converge toward their lower extremities where they join, and disconnected above their junction, to provide between them an unobstructed space, each bar having at its lower extremity a rounded bearing-surface, e, and a pendent rib, cc, said footplate constructed at the upper extremity Aof -each bar with a flange having a concave bearing, b, combined with the rocking bars F, having the upperjournal ends, c, and lower bear-4 ing-surfaces, d, substantially as described.

3. A foot-plate having at each end an arm and a bar which converge toward their lower extremities where they join, and disconnected above theirjunetion, to provide between them an unobstructed space, each bar provided with a bearing, H, a perforation, H', leading therefrom, a bearing, e, and rib a at its lower end, combined with the rocking bars F, the springs I, arranged in said bearings H, and headed screws J extending through the springs into the rocking bars, `substantially as described. y 4t. The footplate A, having front and rear openings, A", and constructed at each end with an arm and a bar which converge toward their lower extremities where theyjoin, each bar having a bearing, H, and perl'oration H', combined with the rockingbarsF, seated on said bars, the springs I, arranged in said bearings, and thc'headed screws J ,passing through the springs into the rocking bars, substantially as described. y V

JOHN H. FENTON.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. ADxMs, 0. \V. BOND.

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